The Western Panthers will head out to take on the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Western is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last six games.
Western is headed into the game having just posted their closest win since June 7, 2024 on Wednesday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Rossville 4-3.
Kylie Miller spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks.
At the plate, Brynley Erb was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs.
Meanwhile, after a string of three wins, Tippecanoe Valley's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They lost 21-3 to Rochester.
Tippecanoe Valley saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mackaylie Costello, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Western's win was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 19-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.1 runs over those games. As for Tippecanoe Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Western has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Tippecanoe Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Western took their win against Tippecanoe Valley when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 9-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
